Page 8 of A Secret Promise

Unbelievable.

"I've never met anyone like you," he said broodingly.

"That's a good thing...I think?"

It was.

And it wasn't.

"Can I have that drink now?" he asked abruptly. "Because this conversation has me—-" Rule caught himself in time. "Sorry."

"I won't expire if the occasional bomb drops, but thank you. I appreciate your effort not to swear."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to watch my language around you—-"

"And everyone else hopefully?"

A reluctant smile unfolded over his lips. "There's really no middleground with you, is there?"

"I'm afraid not, sorry."

Her cheeky tone was a delight, and Rule was no longer surprised at the way his chest tightened anew at the sound. He was beginning to accept that everything about Vixen would fascinate him...just like it was no longer a surprise when she excused herself to make him a drink, and he found himself immediatelyt missing her presence as soon as she was gone.

Vixen came back with sandwiches and a pitcher of ice-cold mint tea, and unlike before, Rule already knew what to expect. Hewatched her close her eyes as she prayed, and as he listened to her thank their Father in Heaven for all of life's blessings...

He found himself thinking...was it true?

Was he allowed to think thatherFather in Heaven was also Rule's?

Vixen's eyes opened when she finished praying, and something about his thoughts must have shown on his face when he saw her expression turn to one of concern. "What is it?"

"Do you know when was the last time I prayed?"

"I guess...it's been a while?"

"64 days to be exact."

"Sixty-four..."

Rule saw the moment the truth dawned on her.

Sixty-four days ago, Jorge Cumerford had barged into her cafe and held Vixen at gunpoint. It had been the most terrifying moment of his life, and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt more desperate or hopeless.

That day had made it clear how much Vixen meant to him.

To the point that he had found himselfpraying,which was something he hadn't done for decades.

Shewas the reason Rule had remembered God existed, and since Vixen was also the reason Rule had started thinking that God was not as indifferent and hard-hearted as he once thought...

"I was just thinking about what you said earlier."

He was no longer surprised at how Vixen was once again challenging his beliefs about God.

"You called himour'father' in heaven."

And just like before, Rule also wanted to know if he had been wrong all this time.

"I hear people call him that over and over, but it never felt real to me. They were always just words."